Charles Betram/McClatchyJohn Wall looms as the top prospect in this year's NBA Draft. Meanwhile, his Kentucky coach John Calipari might be headed back to the pros to coach LeBron James.

This was very strange. Rod Thorn couldn’t stop chuckling.

No clue why. We were just talking casually about the LeBron James-John Calipari stuff, which is one of those things that's kind of funny without really being funny – not in a ha-ha way, anyway – because these are the kinds of people you encounter in the Ultimate Ego Summer of 2010.

Free agency is already the highest-stakes game in the NBA -- an idiot’s auction, not a businessman’s negotiation – and it only takes one narcissist and his sidekicks to turn it into a circus. And if you didn’t see this coming, you haven’t been paying attention to the King and the people in the King’s orbit these last six years.

So assuming the story out of Chicago is true – and it probably is, because it's K.C. -- we’re going to try to avoid passing judgment on this cast of characters and their wacky agenda. It’s merely the way business is done in Uncle David’s silly fiefdom nowadays.

The prize free agent dictates who his coach shall be.

It was only a matter of time.

And here’s where Thorn just kept laughing.

“Well, it’s probably happened before – I can’t tell you when, but it wouldn’t surprise me,” The Boss said. “And don’t forget, it’s exacerbated this year by all the coaching vacancies. Some of those teams looking for coaches are big players in free agency.”

Fine, but let’s cut to the chase.

If that’s what it would take to land the biggest free agent since ‘96, how would you handle it?

“Well let me say this,” Thorn said, between more chuckles. “If that (scenario) is the truth, I’ll bet you Mr. Calipari will be the coach in Chicago six weeks from now.”

More ha-ha.

But that didn’t answer the question, and we’re not asking this in a judgmental way: What if the same cabal offered you the same deal?

“No one has ever offered me that deal,” Thorn said, still laughing. “And it’s impossible to speculate. I don’t expect it to happen. And if it did happen, I’ll just say I would deal with it at the time.”

He was still chuckling when we hung up.

We're still staring at the receiver.

* * * *

If Cal hitches his wagon to LeBron, there is no seeking general manager – not even Thorn – who would dismiss it without serious consideration.

There’s just one problem with this hypothetical or proposed package deal.

Calipari’s ego is monstrous, and with him, nothing is beyond the pale – not even the pale.

But we have to ask: What makes him think that LeBron finally wants to be coached?

This kid answers to nobody. Never has, never will. Why should he? His high school games were on ESPN. And he’s never been coached in his short life other than that two-week vacation under Coach K.

Kobe and Michael answered to Phil. They wanted to be coached. This kid’s approach to offense is holding the ball as long as he can, kicking to shooters, or bending the rim. We don’t see him reacting very positively to whatever scheme Cal comes up to suit his special talent.

But we’d kind of like to see him try anyway. They almost deserve each other.

* * * *

If you didn’t see the newspaper this morning, the Nets are pretty much set on Evan Turner as their pick if they land in the No. 2 spot.

And a number of you are already asking: Huh?

Evan Turner. A point-wing. Smooth and versatile – a less athletic and flashy version of Brandon Roy, we keep hearing. Old school head, very creative. He’ll be a great pro.

All that is fine. But why duplicate what they have with Terrence Williams - not in terms of style, but position?

Turns out the Nets like Williams just fine. They just don’t love him.

Put it this way: Among the dozen or so people who are involved in basketball decisions and basketball judgments, at least half of them are still lukewarm on T-Will.

Yes, he showed a lot of stuff in March and April. But he’s not going to be the focal point of the offense anymore if the Nets land in the No. 1 or 2 pick, and he still has to learn how to guard people. Most important, he’s going to accept coaching next season from start to finish – probably without security blanket Doug Overton around – and the team won’t have any tolerance for his adolescent stuff this time around.